My husband and I are looking to plan a vacation in Dec. We went to St John on our honeymoon three years ago and fell in love with it. It was wonderful being so close to a town with great restaurants and bars, and we loved how safe it was and that we could rent a jeep and explore on our own. To give you some more info on what we like, we just returned from Antigua and hated it - it was very depressing with all of the poverty, the people were not all that nice, and our resort was horrible, but we had to stay there (Jolly Beach) due to the wedding we were attending. Because of our experience, we are hesitant to spend a couple thousand on a vacation to an island we've never been, so we are thinking of just going back to St John... but then again we'd like to see another place, we're just nervous. If we go to St Kitts we'd stay at the Marriott. Is there a small town to explore nearby? Is it easy to go off property for dinner? Any other advice? This may be our last vacation before (possibly) starting a family, so we want to make sure it's a great one.
Thanks!!
Mary Ellen

St. John and St. Kitts are very different. St. Kitts with its rainforest and extinct volcano has a much lusher interior than St. John. The island has a decidedly old world Caribbean/West Indian feel rather than being somewhat Americanized like St. John, however, if you are planning to stay at the Marriott you'll find that resorts is quite large and pretty much like any other Marriott in the US. The beaches on St. Kitts, while nice, do not compare to the ones you found on St. John and because of the darker sand the waters sourrounding of St. Kitts lack that bright torquoise blue that makes St. John so special.

The main town on St. Kitts is Basseterre which is about a 10 minute drive from the marriott. There are some decent shops and a few restaurants there. You will see what you described on Antigua as poverty (Kitisians live simply). If you have a rental car yopu can get around the island fairly easily otherwise you'd have to rely on taxis which can be pricey. There are one or two restaurants that are within walking distance of the Marriott but to reach most of the popular restaurant and beach bars you will need transportation.

I think A Traveleer described St. Kitts well. We were in Nevis (St Kitts sister island)five months ago and it is now our #1 favorite Caribbean island. The people do have very simple needs, but they are also the warmest we've met anywhere. It may just be that you are a couple who feels more comfortable in an 'Americanized' setting. In which case, a resort or villa in St. John may be the better option and offer the amenties that are a better fit for you.

Having read your Antigua review, I don't think you should go to St. Kitts. Nevis would be a better alternative -- there are some nice plantation inns like Montpelier or Nisbet. Another suggestion would be Virgin Gorda or Peter Island. I don't know your budget, however.

Keep reading, I am about to attempt to post a review of our trip to St. Kitts/Nevis and St. Martin......I love the first two islands that were mentioned. Lots to do. My DH actually hiked Mt. Nevis with a guide, of course (for those who have read the funny/not so funny tale of one who did not). We chose to split our time between SKB and Nevis and were not disappointed, for the 2nd year in a row. I opt for trying something new...you never know what you will discover.

A website on St. Kitts you might find helpful is www.discover-stkitts-nevis-beaches.com